Synopsis
On March 12, a Manipur court ordered three young men into police custody for six days. They are accused of impersonating Jay Shah and attempting to extort money from a BJP MLA. The case highlights ongoing political turmoil in Manipur following recent changes in leadership.Key Takeaways
- Three men arrested for impersonating Jay Shah.
- Attempted extortion of a BJP MLA for Chief Minister position.
- The suspects are aged 19 and previously jailed in Uttarakhand.
- Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13.
- Investigation initiated under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita provisions.
Imphal, March 12 (NationPress) - A local court in Manipur has ordered the police custody of three individuals for six days. They are accused of impersonating Jay Shah, the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and attempting to extort money from a BJP MLA in Manipur by offering to make him the Chief Minister following N. Biren Singh's resignation.
A police spokesperson reported that last week, a team from the Manipur Police apprehended Priyanshu Pant, Uvaish Ahmed, and Gaurav Nath, who are all 19 years old, in Uttarakhand, where they were incarcerated.
The trio was transported to Imphal on Tuesday and presented in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court the following day, where police requested seven days of custody.
After reviewing the police's request, CJM Ashem Tarunakumari Devi granted a six-day police custody order for the accused.
The police revealed that on February 15, BJP MLA Kongkham Robindro Singh filed a formal complaint at the Imphal police station. He reported that on February 14, his cousin, Kongkham Basu Singh, received a phone call from someone claiming to be Jay Shah.
The caller allegedly demanded Rs 4 crore to facilitate the MLA's induction as Chief Minister, according to the complaint.
In response, the police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and initiated an investigation.
Since February 13, Manipur has been under President’s Rule, which was enacted four days after N. Biren Singh resigned from his position as Chief Minister.
The 60-member Manipur Assembly is currently in suspended animation following the declaration of President’s Rule, with a tenure extending until 2027.
Meanwhile, the three suspects were previously incarcerated in Uttarakhand for similar fraudulent activities involving calls to MLAs in that state.
Among the detainees, Uvaish Ahmed hails from Etah District in Uttar Pradesh, while Priyanshu Pant and Gaurav Nath are from Ghazipur in East Delhi.
